Impala, not Husky

Now here's a nice car to have sweeping past in the rush hour. The very first American car I ever saw was a Chevrolet Impala, parked next to the beach in Rock, Cornwall in 1964. It was a very pale yellow and absolutely vast, especially compared to our Morris Minor and the assorted Hillmans and Austins parked close by. Transfixed by the fabulously wide lateral fins, I stood and gazed in wonder. It was easily the coolest thing on wheels I had ever seen, aged seven. I wanted my Dad to buy one. He didn't, but he did buy me an ice-cream and carry me on his shoulders, which was almost as good.

Seeing this estate, looking just right on the Earl's Court Road, made me realise I still want one, perhaps even more.

Crane!

I had been in Italy for the weekend, visiting Ron Combo's Grappa Hell. Ron had had about as much as he could stand by 08.30 Monday morning and forced me on to a train back to Genoa, alone. With hours and hours to kill I wandered aimlessly through the city's picturesque streets etc etc. Spotted this impressive crane. The chappie on the ground is piloting the whole thing with a little gadget like a Sony PSP, whatever that is. Diplomat, should he be reading, will know all about this. I, as a non-crane driver, was humbled. So humbled I turned right and walked down the hill towards the dock. Here I was astonished to find every doorway full of exotic ladies of the night. Except it was 10.30 in the morning, on a Monday. Hats off to the work ethic girls, but I think I'll pass. Nice to know Dickensian London is alive and well and living in Genoa.

Nothing But Blue Skies

Took this shot on one of the many recent days when the earth stood still and Saint Gordon of Brown bailed out the known world with his secret stash of Nectar points and Green Shield Stamps. Something about the nature of the shiny, empty, lighter-than-air balloons, previously soaring, now snagged on an Earth-bound telly aerial, spoke far more eloquently about the individuals who have landed us in this mess than I ever could; so I pulled up sharp, leaned out the window (bloke) and snapped.